Boot and shoe sole



April 7, 1931- c. M. BAGSHAW 1,799,274

BOOT AND SHOE SOLE.

Filed Aug. 31, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet l 1 Fi .2, 2 m fiul. 4 A

F' .9. 2 10 2 ilmg' 77 MWIMTflfi Charles Bugshuw 5) l- 5 2 I 76m; Mk/QM 3 6 7 4770mm:

April 7, 193i.

c. M. BAGSHAW 1,799,274

BOOT AND SHOE SOLE Filed Aug. 31, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A TTORNEXS urrs rrs PATENT oFFicE CHARLES MARTIN BAGSHAW', 01 LEICESTER, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR T UNITED SHOE MACHINERY CORPQBATIGN, OF PATEBSON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPOBATIONIOF NEW JERSEY BOOT AND srion some Application filed August 31, 1927, Serial No. 216,708, and in Great Britain September 16, 1926.

This invention has reference to improvements in or relating to soles of or for boots and shoes. i

In the case of boots and shoes (both hereinafter included in the term shoes) having Louis or like heels, it is customary to prepare a sole for the reception of a heel by forming it with a thin flap or apron of the full width of the sole; also with a tongue that is narrower than the sole and has a convex lower face. Frequently also the sole is formed with two tabs, extending lengthwise of the sole, one on each side of the tongue and located above the opposite marginal portions heel rests on the upper of the shoe and its central part on the tongue. The heel, in the usual course, is secured by nails or other fastenings to the insole and to the tongue of the outer sole. The tabs on either side are placed against the upper side-marginal porapron is placed agains so as. to cover, the breast face1nclud1ng the tabs thereonto which it is secured by an adhesive, all as is 40 should,from near the middle, heightwise, of

the heel breast, form a smooth and unbroken curve merging in the lower face of the waist of the shoe, but in view of the fact that the sole is of full thickness at the part where the forward upper edge of the heel is located 2 of the apron. The apron is usually of even tions of the breast face of the heel and the and that the apron is quite thin, an abrupt shoulder is apt to be formed at that part unless a gradually tapering backing or filling be provided between the apron and the heel tabs of uniform thicknessexcept that their ends are out with a bevel it is necessary to trim them down very carefully by hand to impart to them the desirable gradual taper. This trimming operation occupies much time and therefore, except for expensive shoes, is not always carefully or completely done, with the result that the appearance of the shoe at the part in question is marred by the formation of shoulders or the like abrupt deformations on the mar inal portions of the heel breast. Further, whether the tabs be carefully trimmed as aforesaid, or not, they project in any event above the surface of the breast ofthe heel and therefore a shoulder or more or less abrupt ridge on the surface of the exposed face of the apron is usually formed at the inner edges of the two tabs, so that the said face is not smooth and even inthe direction transverse of said face. Then again, the slitting of the sole to produce-firstly the thin apron and then the tabs, considerably weakens the sole at the very part where th shoe should be firm, viz, at the juncture ofthe waist with the heel.

Then again," according rto the method of preparing shoe soles of the type referred to heretofore practised, three distinct cutting operations are required, viz., (1) splitting the sole so as to form the apron; (2) cutting the marginal portion of the heel seat tongue; and (3) severing the legs ofthemarginal portion.

With a view to obviating the defects above referred to and to improve and to expedite the manufacture of shoes of the type defined,

an object of this invention is the provision of a shoe sole of the type having a shaped heel seating tongue and an apron, in which the formation of side tabs extending lengthwise of the sole, is avoided, and the apron of which sole, when applied to the heel breast, will have its exposed face forming a smooth and unbroken curve that merges in the lower face of the waist portion of the sole; and also a smooth and unbroken surface transversely of the heel breast and in which no break or shoulder is formed at the opposite edges of the apron as seen from the side of the shoe.

Another object of this invention is the provision, for shoes of the type defined, of a shoe sole in which without in any way reducing the thickness and thereby weakening the tongue, the apron is made to be much stronger and also stiffer at and adjacent to its junction with the sole and with the heel so that the finished shoe will be much stronger at this critical part than shoes of the kind in question having soles provided with heel seats and aprons as heretofore made.

A still further object of this invention is the provision, for shoes of the type defined, of a shoe sole the apron of which has a shape on its inner or heel contacting face that conforms substantially to the convex shape transversely of the heelof the upper part of the heel breast, so that when secured to the heel no shoulders or abrupt ridges are formed at any part thereof.

One feature of this invention is a shoe sole of the type having an apron and a heel seating tongue for the reception of Louis and like heels, in which, in accordance with this invention, the apron is of varying thickness both in the longitudinal and in the transverse directions whereby the provision of tabs to support the marginal portions of the apron against the formation of abrupt shoulders at the outer sides of the sole is avoided.

Another feature of this invention is a shoe sole of the type defined in which the apron has adjoining the solo a part, hereinafter referred to as the stem portion, of gradually diminishing thickness in the direction lengtl wise, and of increasing thickness from the centre towards the opposite edges widthwise, of the apron.

A further feature of this invention is a shoe sole of the type defined in which the apron has a stem portion which has its inner or heel contacting face of concave formation which, at the root or junction with the sole, coincides with the convex formation of the heel seat tongue at that part and which concavity becomes gradually diminished until the stem portion merges in a flap of even or substantially even thickness.

The above and other objects and features will become apparent from the following description of preferred forms of these features.

In the accompanying drawings a preferred form of my improved shoe sole and means for producing it are illustrated diagrammatically; Figs. 1 to 7 Jeing views of the heel end of a sole provided with my improved apron; Figs. 8 and 9 showing simple means whereby the preferred method of forming my improved apron on the heel end of a shoe sole is made evident; and Figs. 10 to 15 illustrate details to be referred to.

I propose in the first instance to describe the improved form of apron according to this invention and the preferred method of pro ducing it.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 7 which diagrammatically illustrate the preferred form of my improved apron:

Fig. 1 shows the heel end of a shoe sole 1 in side elevation which in accordance with this invention is slit or split for a desired distance from the end forwardlysay as far as the line DD-so as to form a thin flap 2 (on the grain side) of substantially uniform thickness and a heel seat flap 3. From the line DD forwardly to the line AA (which is at or adjacent to the heel breast line) I continue the splitting operation in such a manner that the flap or apron at this part-except at or immediately adjacent to the longitudinal centre or median line-is of gradually increasing thickness, the increase in the thickness being greater at the side edges of the sole than at the parts adjacent thereto.

This is illustrated in Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6 which are transverse sections of the sole on lines A-A, B-B, CC, and DD, respectively, and from which it will be seen that whereas the stem portion of the flap or apron at or adjacent to the longitudinal central line thereof has a thickness no greater than that of the end part of the flap, it more or less gradually increases in thickness towards the opposite side edges. As can be seen this gradual increase in the thickness is greater on the section BB (Fig. 4-) than on the section CG (Fig. 5) and is greatest on the section AA (Fig.

The characteristic feature therefore of the flap or apron according to this invention as exemplified in the preferred form thereof illustrated, is that the stem portion thereof, that is to say the part which in the illustrated example is located between the lines DD and A-A, except at the centre line 1ongitudinally thereof, is of gradually increasing thickness from the line D to the line A, and of gradually diminishing thickness from the opposite side edges towards the longitudinal centre line thereof.

Figs. 2 and 7 are respectively a side elevation and a longitudinal central section of the sole with the improved flap or apron bent down into the position, approximately, which it will occupy when laid against the breast face of a Louis heel.

i tance apart.

lVhatever be the thickness of the opposite side edges of the soleI preferably make the apron so that at its root 4 its opposite side,

edges are of the thickness of the side edges of the sole.

The illustrated form of the improved apron is to be accepted as being merely by way of example. It will be obvious that the length of the stem portion may be proportionately greater or less; also that the part along the longitudinal central or median line may be of gradually increasing thickness, and that the rate of increase in the thickness of the stem portion may be greater or less in parts than as illustrated, and if desired the gradual increase in the thickness as described may commence at the extreme end of the apron, and that instead of the curvilinear cut whereby in Figs? to 5 the apron 2 is divided or split from the heel seat portion 3, the cut may be angular for instance about as shown in Fig. 6A, it being.

obvious that the form of the inner face of the apron'will be made to suit as'nearly as maybe desirable or necessary the shape of the breast face of the particular Louis heel that is to be attached.

I now propose to describe a method of operation whereby the improved apron may be produced and means for use in carrying out said method whereby the improved apron may be formed by a single skiving cut so that the aprons can be produced very expeditiously.

Stated briefly, the method consists in deforming that part of the sole from which the a portion of varying thickness of the improved apron is to be cut in the direction lengthwise and also in the direction widthwise of the sole, and incising or splitting the sole from the heel end forwardly to about the 'limit of the deformation. The part on or immediately adjacent to the longitudinal central line of the heel end of the sole will usually be maintained in a single plane so that this will be of even thickness throughout, although I do not limit the scope of the present invention to this. This method of producing my improved apron will now be described with reference to Figs. 8 and 9.

' Fig. 8 is a side elevation and Fig. 9 a transverse section on line MM of Fig. 8, in.

which the numeral 6 indicates a horizontal table which is provided with two ridges or abutlnents 7, 8, that are spaced a suitable dis- The upper face of each abutment is inclined in the longitudinal direction,

- the abutment. projecting above the surface of the table a zero distance at one end I), and a desired maximum distance (which may be a distance about equal to the thickness of the sole at'its side edges at the breast line) at the other end 0, about as shown in Fig. 8. The said upper faces are preferably also inclined in the transverse direction about as shown in Fig. 9. The heel end of the shoe sole is laid on the table 6 in such a position that the heel breast line or thereabout of the sole is over the front edges of the'two abutments 7, 8. Means is provided whereby the sole is pressed down between the abutments 7 8, against the table and whilst the sole is thus deformed in the longitudinal and also in the transverse directions, a skiving knife 9, which is arranged to move in a plane parallel to the upper face of the table 6, is made to advance so as to split the sole from the extreme enc to about the front edges of the parts 7, 8, the out being indicated by the numeral 10. By this method of operating, the improved apron according to this invention is produced by a single cut of a skiving knife. The shape of the apron as regards its inner face and the length of the deformed part of the sole may of'course be varied as may be found desirable by merely varying the degree of the deformation inone or both directions as aforesaid.

The novel features of the herein-described method and apparatus for use in the manufacture of my improved sole are made the subject-matter of my copending application Serial No. 291,880, filed July 11, 1928.

The apron having thus been out in accordance with this invention, it only remains to cut awaythe marginal portion of the heelseat part 3 of the sole so asto produce the substantially convex tongue for the reception of the heel.

This I eifect in the known manner in a separate machine illustrated diagrammatically in Fig. 10, viz., by placing the part 3 of the sole on a form plate 100 of suitable shape and bulging its central part by a plunger 102 through the opening in said plate and whilst the sole is deformed, advancing askiving knife 10 which is arranged for movement along the lower face of the form plate.

In view "of the fact that the part 3 of the sole is tapered ofi on the opposite side margins at the part 5 2) when the apron is formed in accordance with this invention, it is only necessary to advance the 'skiving knife 104 from the position shown in full lines 10-) to that shown in broken lines, when the marginal port-ion of the part 3 of the sole will be completely severed from the sole.

The part thus severed by a single cut is shown in plan view in Fig. 11 and in side elevation in Fig. '12. Fig. 13 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 3 butwith the marginal portion of the seat-portion 3 cut away as described, and Fig. 14 is a side elevational view of my improved shoe sole with the apron bent down. Fig. 15 is a view showing my improved apron applied to the heel breast. from which it will be seen that the apron is homogeneous and gradually decreases in thickness from its root or junction at D with the waist part of the sole to about the part E, thereby producing a very neat appearance and, further, adding considerably to the strength of the shoe at the part where the waist joins the heel portion.

lhe improved apron described has a smooth and concave inner face that fits snugly against the convex face of the upper part of Louis heels and owing to the absence of separate tabs the sole and consequently the shoe is appreciably stronger atthe critical part, viz., at the junction of the waist with the heel portion than when shoe soles having their aprons and loose tabs are employed.

Further, by the method of producing the improved apron as hereinbefore described, the heel end of the sole can be prepared com 1 pletely for the reception of Louis heels by two cuts, by one of which the improved form of apron is formed and by the other of which the unwanted marginal portion of the heel seat part of the sole is trimmed and com pletely detached.

In the foregoing description the means whereby the shoe sole is deformed simultaneously both in the longitudinal and transverse directions and split whilst so deformed to produce the improved apron, include a flat table and skiving knife this being in my view the most simple form of said means.

Further, if desired several sets of co-operating sole-deforming means of the character and for the purpose described may be provided with each machine.

Also I should state that I find the most convenient procedure in producing the shoe sole for reception of Louis heels is to produce the improved apron on the heel end of a shoe sole prior to its attachment permanently to the shoe and to produce the finished heel-seat subsequent to the attachment of the sole by sewing or otherwise at the forep rt and at the waist to the shoe, although the scope of this invention is not limited to such procedure.

Further, I wish it to be understood that I do not limit the scope of this invention to a shoe sole the apron of which gradually and substantially uniformly varies in thickness as illustrated by way of example in the drawings. For some special reason, for instance if heels of exceptional shape are to be employed, or if the finished shoe is to have a distinctive appearance at the heel breast region, it may be desirable to impart to the apron a shape differing from that illustrated. To obtain such a result it is only necessary to alter the shape of the co-operating sole-deforming means.

ally decreasing thickness from its opposite side edges towards the longitudinal median line of the sole.

0. A shoe sole provided with an apron which adjacent to its juncture with the sole is of gradually increasing thickness in the direction from its free end towards said juncture, and of radually decreasing thickness in the direction from its opposite side margins towards the longitudinal median line hereof.

4:. A shoe sole provided with an apron which adjacent to its uncture with the sole is of gradually increasing thickness in the direction from its free end towards said juncture, and of gradually decreasing thickness in the direction from its opposite side margins towards the longitudinal median line thereof the opposite side marginal portions of the apron at its juncture with the sole having a thickness equal to that of the side edges of the sole.

5. A shoe sole having an apron the opposide margins of which progressively increase in thickness towards the root or junc ture of the said apron with the sole and the inner heel-breast contacting face of which is concave adjacent the said root or juncture thereby the better to fit against the usual convex upper portion of the heel-breast of Louis heels.

6. A shoe sole having an apron the inner or heel-breast contacting face of which adj acent to its junction with the sole is concave and in which the opposite side marginal portions of the apron at their junction with the sole have a thickness equal to that of the side edges of the sole.

7. A shoe sole having an apron which from a position between the free end and the root or juncture of the apron with the sole progressively increases in thickness from the longitudinal median line of the sole to the opposide side margins of the apron.

8. A shoe sole having an apron which from a position intermediate the free end and the root or juncture of the apron with the sole and from the longitudinal median line of the said apron, progressively increases in thickness to the said root or juncture and to the opposite side margins of the apron respectively.

9. A shoe sole having an apron the opposite side margins of which progressively increase in thickness towards the root or juncture of the said apron with the sole, the thickness of the opposite side margins of the apron at the said root corresponding substantially to the thickness of the adjacent side margins of the sole.

10. A shoe sole having an apron the opposite side margins of which progressively increase in thickness towards the root 0r-j11ncture of the said apron with the sole, the thickness of the opposite side margins of the apron at the said root corresponding substantially to the thickness of the adjacent side margins of the sole and the inner or heel-contacting face of which adjacent to its junction with the sole is concave.

CHARLES MARTIN BAGSHAW. 

